New Teenage Dream
by KlaineOTP
Summary: I'm Elizabeth Anderson-Hummel. My cousins are out to destroy me, I'm crushing on a Puckerman, and my best friend is in the the closet and slowly walking out. Can't be a good start to my freshman year.


It's not weird having two dads. It is weird having two dads in homophobic, Lima, Ohio. Don't get me wrong I love them to death, it's just that not everyone approves of me. I have, like two friends at the middle school, but neither of them will be going to McKinley this year. Sure both my dads graduated from there but is it really the best place for me? I wanted to go to Crawford Country Day, in Westerville, but no, I have to go to McKinley and be the star of New Directions and compete with my stupid cousins Patty and Barbara for the solos.

I haven't even auditioned. I don't even know if I'll get in. It's almost a guarantee because of my dads but still Barbara knows way more about sabotage than most people. Heck when I was eight she pushed me off the play set so that she would get the part of young Cosette in Les Miserables that the Lima Community Theatre was doing. My leg was in a cast for two months and I was on crutches for four. Patty isn't as bad but with Barbara they are she-devils ten times worse than their mother was. (As I'm told.)

Tomorrow is start of freshman year. I want to make friends before people know I'm the product of a same-sex marriage. I actually had friends before I realized that almost every one of them were a small minded Catholic, that believed my sole existence was a sin. I wouldn't trade my dads for anything, but sometimes I wish that people would accept the fact that some people are different, and sometimes different is good.

In the morning, wake up, shower, get dressed in tight gold capris and a sequined pink shirt. To match I wear gold strappy sandals. It's an outfit that my dad designed.

I walk into the kitchen with my bag. My dads are sitting at the table eating breakfast. I pull out the cereal and make myself a bowl. I sit down and start eating. It's weirdly, silent, usually my parents are chatting away about anything you could think of, but not today. I guess they're just nervous for me.

I finish my cereal and give each of my dads a quick hug and walk to the corner to wait for the bus.

Now, about the bus. It's society's second worst idea, after high school. I just wonder who came up with it. I think of a group of people sitting in some meeting room and one stands up and says, "I have a proposition. Since we already have hormonal teenagers locked up for eight hours a day, let's put them all on a bus big enough to fit them all, but small enough for them not able to move an inch. And as an added bonus the only adult on this bus will not be able to be distracted, so of course they can run wild. This will transport them to and from hell."

Then there was a round of applause and the bus was created.

Stepping out of the bus I drop my bag and as I bend over to pick it up I'm trampled. This is not a good start to my first day. I wander around for awhile before I find my locker. It's right across from an office with a redheaded woman in it. I look at the nameplate to see what it says. Mrs. Emma Pillsbury-Schuester. It must be Mr. Schue's wife.

Funny story. When I was little my parents would talk about him sometimes, and would never call him Mr. Schuester, only Mr. Schue. So long story short the first time I met him I called him Mr. Shoe.

I digress.

I put in my locker combination and just as I open my locker. I'm hit. A slushie makes contact with my face and then another. I feel like crying but I hold it in. If I show weakness they'll try to do it again.

I shove my books and pictures into my locker. I turn to go clean up, and my phone rings. I rummage through my bag for it, and when I find it it's a text from my dad.

**Courage**

I turn and run to the bathroom. So much for a good first day.

Tuesday. Audition day. This won't end well.

I wear an outfit that my dad made for a chain shop in Columbus. I didn't tell either of them about getting slushied. I don't want them worrying about me. Being an only child they are very over protective.

I go through my morning classes without anything happening. During lunch I sit off to the side alone. Across the room I see another person sitting alone. He catches my stare for second and I see his bright blue eyes. I wonder what he thinks of me sitting here alone, headphones in, with the best clothes in this place.

Just as I'm thinking that a blonde girl comes over and sits down across from me.

"Where did you that jacket?" she says with a voice just a little too perky.

"Our sewing room," I joke.

"What?" she questions.

"My dad designs clothes for small chain stores, so I get some of the originals." I explain.

Her jaw drops. "I'm Elizabeth," I say.

"Mandy," she responds.

"Are you auditioning for glee club?" I ask.

"I'm not sure. I'm not the best singer, or dancer,

"It never hurts to try. Well, see you later," I say, getting up.

"Bye."

The bell rings and I go to the auditorium for auditions. I wait backstage for my turn.

"Elizabeth Anderson-Hummel," I hear Mr. Schuester say.

I walk out onto the stage. I'm really nervous. I never get nervous. I see Barbara and Patty sitting with the rest of the group. I go over the words to my song in my head. It's a song I've heard so many times it's like my own theme song. My dad would always sing it to me when I was little and feeling blue. It's a song he wrote and never did much with. He told that one day when I was famous I would get to sing it. I may not be famous yet but I'll be there.

I take the microphone and go to center stage.

"I'm Elizabeth Anderson-Hummel and I'll be singing Not Alone," I say, sitting down at the piano.

I put the mic on the stand, take a deep breath, and start.

_I've been alone_

_Surrounded by darkness_

_And I've seen how heartless_

_The world can be_

_I've seen you crying_

_You felt like it's hopeless_

_I'll always do my best_

_To make you see_

I'm comfortable now. I pick up the pace of the piano and sing louder. I've done this a thousand times, what's the difference?

_Baby, you're not alone_

_Cause you're here with me_

_And nothing's ever gonna bring us down_

_Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you_

_And you know it's true_

_It don't matter what'll come to be_

_Oh, love is all we need to make it through_

_Now I know it ain't easy_

_But it ain't hard trying_

_Every time I see you smiling_

_And I feel you so close to me_

_And you tell me_

_Baby, you're not alone_

_Cause you're here with me_

_And nothing's ever gonna bring us down_

_Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you_

_And you know it's true_

_It don't matter what'll come to be_

_Oh, love is all we need to make it through_

Everyone melts away. I close my eyes and I'm in the library at home. It's a memory. It's from when I was seven. I'm with my dads. It's my first time playing it by myself. I absorb all the confidence I had then. I know that if they saw me that they would be proud. Proud that I can do this alone, but with them in my heart.

_I still have trouble_

_I trip and stumble_

_Trying to make sense of things sometimes_

_I look for reasons_

_But I don't need 'em_

_All I need is to look in your eyes_

_And I realize_

_Baby I'm not alone_

_Cause you're here with me_

_And nothing's ever gonna take us down_

_Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you_

_And you know it's true_

_It don't matter what'll come to be_

_Oh, love is all we need to make it through, ooh_

_Cause you're here with me_

_And nothing's ever gonna bring us down_

_Cause nothing, nothing, nothing can keep me from lovin' you_

_And you know it's true_

_It don't matter what'll come to be_

_You know love is all we need_

_Oh, love is all we need to make it through_

Everyone except Barbara applauds. I smile and walk off the stage leaving the mic on the stand. I did it. I thought I would choke. There's no way I won't get in. I leave the auditorium and head home.

The thought of someday not going home to both of my dads scares me. Sure it will happen, but I hate the thought of it. They are, in some ways, the best parents in the world. They will always be there for me. If I need to test out a new song or a design, they take time out of their day to help me. I can even go to them with boy trouble. It can also be troublesome, having two dads. Aunt Santana (Not really my aunt, I just call her that.) was the one gave me "The Talk".

I walk into the bathroom to straighten my hair and one of my dads is in there gelling his hair back, just like every day.

I finish my hair and then put it into a high bun. I wear a short, blue dress with open shoulders. I head out the door and to the school.

Instead of going to my locker I go straight to the bulletin board. I search for the glee club list. There it is. I didn't stay to watch any of the other auditions so I don't have any idea of who else might be on the list. I go down the list. Darek Evans, Leim Tate, Kaitlyn Barnes, Mandy Lynn, Marcus Reid, Elizabeth Anderson-Hummel. I'm in! I look at the bottom to see what it says. All members of the glee club report to the choir room after school.

I anticipate it all day. I can't wait to see what we'll do. As soon as the final bell rings I go to the choir room. I'm the first one there so I take a seat. Everyone else slowly files in. Barbara comes in and begins to annoy me the second she opens her big mouth.

"That's my seat," she says as if it has her name written all over it.

"I'm sorry," I throw on my fakest smile, "I wasn't aware there was assigned seating."

"Sit somewhere else Barbara," says the guy sitting behind me. He sounds as fed up with her as I am.

I turn to see who it is and it's the guy I saw across the lunchroom. I turn away quickly and take a deep breath. I can feel those blue eyes on me.

Mr. Schuester walks in and pulls out two top hats. All of the returning members cheer while us new ones sit there awkwardly.

"All new members please come to the front," Six of us get up and stand in the front "This is a tradition I started years ago. This puts you on the spot and sees how you perform under pressure. One hat has songs in it and the other has names. I will choose a song for you to perform, and two people to do lead vocals. The song is Great Escape, and our two lead vocalists are Elizabeth Anderson-Hummel and Darek Evans."

I can do this. Time to prove my superiority over Barbara. I look at my male vocalist. His hair is a light brown and his eyes are hazel with bits of blue and green.

I'm handed sheet music and the intro starts. Darek starts singing.

_Paper bags and plastic hearts_

_All our belongings in shopping carts_

I join in singing. This has always been a favorite song of mine. There's just something about it that made me fall in love.

_It's goodbye_

_But we got one more night_

Our voices blend perfectly. I sing the next two lines on my own then he joins in.

_Let's get drunk and ride around_

_And make peace with an empty town_

_We can make it right_

The whole group joins in. This is one of the best group numbers ever done in this room. I'm sure of it. Not even songs done by the original group could beat this.

_Throw it away_

_Forget yesterday_

_We'll make the great escape_

_We won't hear a word they say_

_They don't know us anyway_

_Watch it burn_

_Let it die_

_Cause we are finally free tonight_

We sing the next verse in the same way, but Darek and I switch.

_Tonight will change our lives_

_It's so good to be by your side_

_But we'll cry_

_We won't give up the fight_

_We'll scream loud at the top of our lungs_

_And they'll think it's just cause we're young_

_And we'll feel so alive_

_Throw it away_

_Forget yesterday_

_We'll make the great escape_

_We won't hear a word they say_

_They don't know us anyway_

_Watch it burn_

_Let it die_

_Cause we are finally free tonight_

_All of the wasted time_

_The hours that were left behind_

_The answers that we'll never find_

_They don't mean a thing tonight_

_Throw it away_

_Forget yesterday_

_We'll make the great escape_

_We won't hear a word they say_

_They don't know us anyway_

_Throw it away_

_Forget yesterday_

_We'll make the great escape_

_We won't hear a word they say_

_They don't know us anyway_

_Throw it away_

_Forget yesterday_

_We'll make the great escape_

_We won't hear a word they say_

_They don't know us anyway_

_Watch it burn_

_Let it die_

_Cause we are finally free tonight_

We finish and I realize that it's true. This song is setting us free of the standards. The six of us just blew the group away with a song that was never rehearsed. A song we didn't even know we were going to sing.

"That was amazing," Mr. Schue says, "You did a wonderful job showing what that song was really about. Now, you're free for the rest of the week, but come up with ideas for sectionals by Monday."

We all get up to leave and blue eyes comes up to me.

"Elizabeth right?" he says.

"Yeah," I reply. My heart is pounding. He knows my name!

"I'm Jacob. A couple of us were wondering if you wanted to go to the Lima Bean," he say pointing to a group of about four.

"Sure," I answer. I swear the butterflies in my stomach have jackhammers.

We all pile into his car and we're there in about two minutes. I order a caramel macchiato and sit with everyone in a booth near the corner.

We joke around a bit and then Jacob asks me a question, "So what's Barbara's problem with you?"

"She's my cousin, and she refuses to accept the fact that I'm more musically talented than her," I respond instinctively.

Everyone gapes at me. They probably don't believe that I just said that. Then Jacob starts laughing.

"That's her problem with everyone," he says. That makes us all laugh.

Jacob gives me a ride home. I flop onto my bed and turn on my music. Tonight it's love songs.

**A/N: Yay new story! Thank you to my amazing beta LaBeauAJ. Go check her out. Seriously. Go. Now. But please review first!**


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